Thread: fence posts - cypress gold, spotted gum or merbau

hi i am building a front fence 1.6mt high, 15.2mts long, with a sliding gate (3.3mt) and passenger gate 1.4mt. the fence will be made of iron bark decking (86x19 DAR) mounted horizontally and screwed into the posts with 10g x 62mm stainless steel square drive screws (left over from a deck i made recently)

the fence posts will be set 1.4m apart 60cm into the ground. there will be a further vertical support (iron bark 86x19) screwed in between each post (ie every 70cm) to prevent the slats sagging

i am trying to decide which fence posts to use. out of the following options

1. cypress gold 125x125 (about $20 p/m) these are dressed. i like that these are 'soft' wood (so helps that the screws wont break) but i dont really like the colour (light) and i understand that in the ground they dont last as long as hardwood?

2. spotted gum 125x125 (about $29p/m). i understand this wood is very hard and will last a long time in the ground. i also like the colour, but the only concern is that is this wood very hard? (ie i presume i will need to predrill to ensure i dont break any screws - hate having to drill them out)

3. solid merbau 90 x 90 (about $25p/m). love the colour and was told this last a very long time in the ground, but i dont know if 90x90 will be solid enough? (ie dont want the fence to move)

any thoughts would be appreciated

What is cypress gold ? a trade name ? what species or treatment level
regards inter

anything in ground needs to be H4 treated

spoke to a few timber suppliers and most have said that merbau doesnt fair well in the ground, and that cypress posts are just as durable (if not better) than hardwood (ie the spotted gum)

cypress gold is just a brand name for dressed cypress. the finish looks quite nice and all the bunnings stores carry it.

here is a little extract from a website on the product

Cypress Gold posts are not only beautiful but come shrink wrapped and structurally Graded at F7 strength.

Other benifits include:

• No Copper Chrome or Arsenic in timber
• Individually Shrink Wrapped
• Documentation with each post with recommended uses.
• Structurally Graded F7 strength
• 100% Australian Grown
• 100% Chemical Free
• 100% Natural
• Safer and more Economical
• Available in Common Post Sizes
• Naturally Rot and Termite Resistant

i am not sure though, if these are sufficient for below ground use???? i did apply a product called diggers eco in-ground protecta first

you will know in a couple of years...

Just so you know, cypress is a very good framing timber because it is naturally termite resistant but, it is unbelievably brittle and carroty to work with. I stuffed around with some 60 year old wall studs out of my house and they are a nightmare to work with. I would use steel for your gate posts at least. In fact I would use steel for everything and put a timber batten on them to take your fence screening. The steel is cheaper than timber and will last 50 years at least.

I have a source for "golden cypress" that is cheaper but not dressed if you're interested, I'll dig out the phone number.

Cypress makes good posts and are termite resistant, but should be treated for the bit underground. Hard to work with and as has been said gets harder and more brittle with age, but that's not a real concern for a fence (well not for the builder anyway). Su's work shows how good it can look : 1890s Miner's Cottage Reno

H4 or H5 treated pine or hardwood will be longest lasting in ground. Gal steel OK, but directly in-ground rather than concreted (which might then last 50 years) will rust within a few short years - depends on how wet - Melbourne not a long time if in ground.

Originally Posted by Bloss

Cypress makes good posts and are termite resistant, but should be treated for the bit underground. Hard to work with and as has been said gets harder and more brittle with age, but that's not a real concern for a fence (well not for the builder anyway).

When you say hard to work with, I assume you mean you have to be careful to not promote splitting and it needs regular oiling/upkeep. It's easy to cut and light to lift tho. I did use some left over materials to make a small fence and although I wouldn't put my deck posts in ground, I did put the fence posts in ground, just rammed earth. I'll see how these go in the future. I'm not nearly as concerned about the performance of this fence as of my deck.

The treatment I was referring to for cypress posts is simply a plain old preservative - oil or water based. And me saying 'hard to work' with is really relative - if the DIYer is used to TP or green hardwood (not ironbark or tallowwood or other really dense Oz timbers) then cypress seems hard and can be hard on tools too. also as you say tends to split - so pre-drilling etc is must. It might be OK when green/ new, but if stressed will then split as it dries. The knots can make housing joints etc a PITA too. I love the stuff - the smell too, but not consistently available in good quality around ACT over the years.

Ah yes, the knots. Funny how one forgets the trials once they are over. Housing joins were a pain. especially as I have pretty much abused my chisels. I actually went and bought a fresh one to finish the joins. One day I'll learn to sharpen a chisel properly.

Originally Posted by shauck

One day I'll learn to sharpen a chisel properly.

No need to be a purist - these simple honing guides work well search on google for "Honing Guide - MJ-817" eg: Honing Guide - 65mm Max Width : CARBA-TEC <$20 + a good stone or a diamond plate.

Originally Posted by Bloss

No need to be a purist - these simple honing guides work well search on google for "Honing Guide - MJ-817" eg: Honing Guide - 65mm Max Width : CARBA-TEC <$20 + a good stone or a diamond plate.

Nice little tool. When I get a shed set up, I'll give more attention to tool maintenance.

IMO don't waste your time with an oil stone. Diamond plate and honing guide = able to shave with your chisels

Originally Posted by stevoh741

IMO don't waste your time with an oil stone. Diamond plate and honing guide = able to shave with your chisels

Tend to agree, but stones still work OK and are way cheaper - but buy an Australian or US made one though, the chinese ones are not usually much good. Same goes for diamond sharpeners too. Forum supporters Jim Carroll & Irene Brook Home | Carroll's Woodcraft Supplies are worth supporting in turn.

I have my chisels and blades (tools too) sorted into rough work & fine work sets and never mix them. Pretty much the same tools, but the fine work tools are used only on real timber not composites and if I am doing cabinet work (not as often as I'd like too!) I use a leather strop to get that ultra cut-throat razor edge.

Don't use a guide myself, but have recommended them often to friends and they are useful especially for DIYers or others who only occasionally need to set and sharpen an edge and for others who have a disability of some sort (a friend with Parkinson's disease has been able to continue sharpening his own tools because of a guide.

I've never used a diamond plate. Is it able to deal with really abused chisels with nicks in them?

Nope. You will have to re grind the chisel to get the shape and edge then finish it off on the diamond hone. All of the products for sharpening chisels are only for putting the final finish on the cutting edge.

But also for a really fine edge try the Spyderco ceramic sapphire plates; only work on an edges that is already sharp but wow do they the difference